EP 310 - Make Believe: The Stories Entrepreneurs Tell Themselves (Edge of the Napkin #10)
- Govindh Jayaraman
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
Every entrepreneur lives inside a story — the question is, who’s writing yours?
If you’ve ever had a morning where nothing goes right — you stub your toe, drop your keys, spill coffee on your white shirt before 8 a.m. — you know the script that starts to play in your mind: “It’s gonna be one of those days.”
And somehow, it is. Everything that follows seems to prove the story true.
But the opposite happens too. You walk out the door feeling light, confident, certain something good is about to happen. Suddenly, you find a forgotten twenty in your pocket, get the short line at security, and the world seems to smile back.
The truth is: the world didn’t change. Your story did.
The Invisible Script of Entrepreneurship
As entrepreneurs, we tell ourselves stories all day long. About clients. About employees. About the market. About ourselves.
“That customer doesn’t like me.” “My team’s not ready yet.” “This quarter’s going to be brutal.”
But none of that is fact. It’s make-believe. We make up stories to explain the world — and then we believe them so deeply that they shape our reality.
Our thoughts become things. Our stories become strategies. Our beliefs become behavior.
So why not make up stories that work for us?
The Hidden Power in “Make Believe”
The phrase make believe is one of the most perfectly designed pieces of language for entrepreneurs.
“Make.” “Believe.”
It’s a two-step formula for creation.
Make — imagine, construct, design the story you want. Believe — live it, commit to it, act as if it’s already true.
Every innovation starts with make believe. Steve Jobs imagined a world where everyone could have a computer in their pocket. Wright brothers imagined humans flying. Kids do it every day — no hesitation, no proof, no fear.
They believe the story so completely that it becomes real. Adults call it vision. Entrepreneurs call it leadership.
But at its core, it’s just make-believe.
Why We Forget How to Believe
Somewhere between childhood and boardrooms, we stop believing before we make. We start saying things like:
“I’m just being realistic.” “That’s not how it works.” “I can’t afford to think like that.”
We stop being the author of our story and start acting like a character trapped inside it. And that’s dangerous — because if you don’t write your story, your fear will.
As leaders, we have to reclaim our imagination. Not fantasy — intentional imagination. The kind that directs focus, aligns action, and creates reality.
The Napkin: The Story Loop
On the napkin for this episode, I drew a simple loop:
Story → State → Action → Evidence → (back to Story)
It’s the circle we all live in.
Your story shapes your state (how you feel). Your state influences your action. Your action creates evidence. And that evidence reinforces your story.
Most people are stuck in a negative loop — “I’m unlucky” → frustrated → hesitant → confirm failure → reinforce “I’m unlucky.”
But if you flip the story, the whole loop changes — “I create my own luck” → energized → take initiative → see opportunities → reinforce “I’m capable.”
The power lies in the center of that loop, where I wrote two words: MAKE BELIEVE. That’s where you choose which story to live.
Three Ways to Make Better Stories
1. Use the Focus–Align–Act Loop
Ask yourself:
What story am I focused on right now?
Does it align with what I actually want?
What one action would prove a better story true?
Every new belief needs proof — and your actions create it.
2. Flip the Script
Catch yourself mid-story and rewrite it. Instead of saying “I’m overwhelmed,” try “I’m learning to prioritize what matters.” It’s not denial — it’s direction. You’re changing the movie playing in your head.
3. Make It Bad, Make It Better
Perfection is the enemy of momentum. Your first version of any story will be messy — and that’s okay. Say it badly first. Then refine. “I’m not a good leader yet” becomes “I’m growing into the leader my team deserves.”
Iteration isn’t just for products — it’s for beliefs, too.
5 Key Takeaways
1. Your Story Is Your Strategy
The beliefs you hold are the systems you build. Every result in your business started as a thought you believed long enough to act on. Take Action: Identify one recurring thought that limits you. Rewrite it in a way that propels you forward.
2. Make-Believe Is the Entrepreneur’s Edge
Imagination is the ultimate competitive advantage. If you can picture it and commit to it, you’ll see paths others can’t. Take Action: Spend five minutes daily visualizing your “impossible” goal as already achieved. Feel what it’s like.
3. Choose Stories That Serve You
You can’t stop telling stories — but you can choose which ones to amplify. Take Action: Notice your language this week. Each time you say “I always” or “I never,” rewrite it with “I’m learning” or “I’m creating.”
4. Belief Changes Biology
When you change your story, your energy, tone, and confidence change too. People feel it — and respond to it. Take Action: Before your next team meeting, tell yourself: “They’re lucky to have me leading them.” Notice how your posture and voice shift.
5. Make-Believe Like a Kid Again
Children don’t need proof to believe. They go all in — and that’s the secret. Take Action: Pick one area in your business where you’ve been “realistic” for too long. Suspend disbelief for one week. Play full out.
The Challenge: Author, Don’t Act
You’re either writing your story or reacting to someone else’s. The entrepreneurs who win — the ones who grow movements, not just businesses — are the ones who never stopped making believe.
They don’t wait for proof. They act on faith, backed by intention. And as they move, the world rearranges itself around that belief.
So what story are you telling today? Because make-believe isn’t just for kids. It’s how entrepreneurs build reality — one thought, one choice, one action at a time.
Listen to Episode 310 — Edge of the Napkin #10: “Make Believe — The Stories We Tell Ourselves”
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/paper-napkin-wisdom/id735345903 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ejOegCltch4RZsqCRKUm3 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@papernapkinwisdom-podcastf1563
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